We currently have a DB2 7.2 FixPack 3 (FP3) database and we are
migrating toward version 8.1. Here is my current understanding of the
steps needed to test version 8.1.



Does this sound correct?



1. Install version DB2 8.1 on a test server B.



2. Define tables on test server B that mirror existing tables on
production server A.



3. Copy the tables from the 7.2 instance on server A to a new 8.1
instance on server B.



4. Upgrade the clients on all machines that currently access the 7.2
database from 7.2 (FP3) to 7.2 (FP10). Verify that the data is
still accessible.



5. Backup data on production server A.



6. Upgrade the server software on server A from 7.2 (FP3) to 7.2
(FP10). Verify that data is intact and accessible.



7. Run db2upd7 utility on the server A database. This converts
the database from using IBM's old proprietary protocol to DRDA and
prepares it for access by the 8.1 client. Verify that data is
intact and accessible using the 7.2 (FP10) client.



8. Install the 8.1 run-time client on any client machine and verify
that the 7.2 database is intact and accessible using the 8.1 client.


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Originally posted by Mark Yudkin

IBM Support suggested that I update the clients (from 7.2 FP3 to 7.2
FP10) before I update the servers. My boss has suggested that we set up
a test server with DB2 8.1 (client & server) along with the newest
version of WebSphere and all of our applications, then test this
configuration. Once this configuration has been verified, we'd update
our production server.



But I like the gradual approach which allows me to test my applications
against both the test 8.1 server and our current 7.2 production server.
This way, if we have to modify our applications while testing the new
configuration, I could test them against the old configuration simply by
pointing to the production database.



Ideally, I'd be able to switch back and forth between the 7.2 and 8.1
clients, but IBM (in its wisdom) does not allow for side-by-side
installation of different clients. The 8.1 client installation always
replaces the 7.2 client.


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Posted via http://dbforums.com

Updating the 7.2 client from FP3 to FP10 is probably a good idea.

I think you misunderstood the first sentence of my post. By "I've never
managed to get 7 and 8 to work adequately", I was not referring to DB2
versions, but to your points 7 and 8:

I have never managed to get full function access from an 8.1 client to a 7.2
server, and hence the rest of my post suggested avoiding any need for this
connectivity scenario. Accessing an 8.1 server from a 7.2 client seems to be
OK (although administration is not).

"milkchaser" <member14356 (AT) dbforums (DOT) com> wrote

I read in the official documentation that db2 8.1 clients will have
restrictions/limitations accessing db2 7.x or db2 6.x servers.

hth,
dotyet
"Mark Yudkin" <myudkinATcompuserveDOTcom (AT) nospam (DOT) org> wrote

Originally posted by Mark Yudkin



Yeah, I did take it the wrong way. I'm beginning to see the wisdom of
just doing a full upgrade of everything and we'd be done with it. Then
we'd be sure to get all the new features of the 8.1 client. I'd hate to
go through all of this trouble for nothing.


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